Innovate UK: UK-Canada quantum technology programme collaborative R&D competition

11/06/2020

29/07/2020

Innovate UK and the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada invite applications for their UK-Canada quantum technology collaborative R&D competition. The total budget for UK applicants is £2 million for grants worth up to £300,000 each. Projects may last between one to three years. NSERC have allocated CAD 4m for Canadian applicants. Grant amount depends on the size of the applicant organisation.

Projects must: •increase UK-Canada collaboration in quantum technology; •increase the end-use potential of quantum technologies for both the Canadian and UK private, public or non-profit sector partners; •generate economic benefits for the UK and Canada; •enhance the innovative capacity of the participants; •add value through the international collaboration; •exploit second generation quantum techniques. The projects must address quantum secure communications, quantum computing and simulation or quantum sensing and imaging.

Proposals must include at least one UK and one Canadian partner. The UK collaborations must be led by a UK registered business of any size, and in Canada by a research and technology organisation or university. The UK lead must collaborate with other UK registered businesses, research organisations, public sector organisations or charities. The majority of work undertaken by each partner should occur in their home country. One country or organisation must not represent more than 75 per cent of the total project costs. If the lead organisation is an RTO it must collaborate with two businesses, one SME and one business of any size. UK organisations must carry out the majority of the project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK. Canadian project team members are governed by NSERC's rules. Subcontractors from anywhere in the UK or EEA working for UK applicants are allowed.